Betsy Struxness and Brandon Carter Star in SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, Starting Tonight at Virginia Rep

Virginia Repertory Theatre opens the Signature Season with Shakespeare in Love, based on the screenplay by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard and adapted by Lee Hall.

This racy, romantic comedy opens Friday, September 15, 2017, at the November Theatre/Arenstein Stage, 114 West Broad Street and runs through October 8 with two preview performances tonight, September 13, and tomorrow, September 14.

This new stage adaptation reimagines the romance between young Will Shakespeare and his muse, Viola de Lesseps, who will stop at nothing, including the law, to be in his new play.

Virginia Rep is delighted to welcome New York based Director and Choreographer, Jen Wineman. Her work has been seen at theaters in New York and across the country. Wineman is a co-founder and the former co-artistic director of Studio 42, a New York City-based company that from 2001-2015, produced "unproducible" plays by emerging playwrights. She is an affiliated artist with New Georges, a member of the 2011/2012 Soho Rep Writer Director Lab, and an associate member of Telluride Theatre. Wineman has taught at Vassar College, Ithaca College, SUNY Purchase, and is on the faculty at Primary Stages Einhorn School of Performing Arts in New York City. Wineman talked about her excitement in directing the show, "I am thrilled to make my Virginia Rep directorial and choreographic debut with Shakespeare in Love .

It's always been one of my favorite movies, and the stage adaptation provides a thrilling opportunity to bring this highly theatrical story to new heights. A love letter to theater and to the power of inspiration, our production of Shakespeare in Love will be filled with humor, romantic magic, workplace drama, and of course, a dog."

Wineman's New York credits include: My Heart is in the East (La Mama); Fable (NYMF), The King's Whore (Walkerspace) ; F#%king Up Everything (Elektra Theater) Estrella Cruz [The Junkyard Queen] (Ars Nova). Touring Productions include: Twelfth Night , A Midsummer Night's Dream (Asolo Repertory Theatre). Regional credits include: Into the West (Tantrum Theater); Baskerville (Dorset Theatre Festival); The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity (Asolo Rep) Sweeney Todd (Playmakers Rep); The 39 Steps , Shipwrecked (Triad Stage); The Hunchback of Seville (Washington Ensemble Theatre); Bubble Boy (American Theater Group); Aloha Say the Pretty Girls (Theatre Vertigo).

Virginia Rep also welcomes Broadway's Betsy Struxness in the lead role of Viola. Recent credits include the original casts of Hamilton and Matilda. Other Broadway credits include Scandalous, Leap of Faith, Memphis , and Wicked. Television credits include the Emmy award winning series Louie, Broad City, and The Onion News Network. Struxness has appeared on the TONY awards numerous times as well as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Grammy Awards.

BranDon Carter also makes his Virginia Rep debut as Will Shakespeare. Recent Off-Broadway and regional credits include The Three Musketeers (Aramis) and Macbeth ( Malcolm) at Classical Theatre of Harlem, The First Noel (Skeeter) at The Apollo Theatre, and The Brothers Size (Ogun) at Luna Stage.

Scott Wichmann returns to Virginia Rep after recent lead roles in 1776 (John Adams) and the World Premiere of The End of War . Susan Sanford returns in the role of Elizabeth I of England. Recent Virginia Rep credits include A Christmas Story and Airline Highway.

Set Designer, Ron Keller, joins the creative team. He most recently designed the highly acclaimed set of The End of War among many others.

Virginia Rep is delighted to engage Costume Designer Aaron P. Mastin . Mastin is known for his work on 12 Years a Slave, Lincoln, and the John Adams TV Mini Series. His work has also been seen at Yale Rep, Princeton University, Millbrook Playhouse, and Syracuse Stage.

Music Director, Sandy Dacus , ( 1776, Sound of Music, Spring Awakening) and Lighting Designer, BJ WIlkinson, ( 1776, The End of War) round out the design team.

For tickets, contact the Box Office at 804-282-2620 or visit www.virginiarep.org. Full Price Tickets: $36 - $62. Discounted Group Rates and Rush tickets available. U-Tix for college and high school students $15. Available by phone or in person, day of show only. Valid Student ID required.

Performance Schedule: Evening performances at 7:00 p.m. on select Wednesdays and every Thursday. Evening performances at 8:00 p.m. every Friday and Saturday. Matinee performances at 2:00 p.m. on select Wednesdays and Saturdays and every Sunday.

The Sara Belle and Neil November Theatre is equipped with a state-of the-art induction loop hearing system that is compatible with all telecoil-equipped hearing aids and cochlear implants. A handheld receiver and headphone system is also available free of charge for anyone who is hearing impaired.

Valet parking is available for $8 at all performances and free self-park is available for patrons within blocks of the theatre. Valet is complimentary for patrons who dine at Max's on Broad, before or after the show.

Virginia Repertory Theatre is the regional professional theatre in Richmond, Virginia. With a budget of $5 million, four distinct venues, an educational touring arm, and an annual audience over 530,000, Virginia Rep is one of the largest performing arts organizations in Central Virginia. Virginia Rep stages four seasons annually: the Signature Season at the Sara Belle and Neil November Theatre, Theatre Gym Season in partnership with Cadence Theatre Company, Virginia Rep's Children's Season at Willow Lawn, and the Hanover Tavern Season.